Device for presetting open and closed positions of the halves of cooperative two-part blank and blow molds of glassware forming machines



June a9, 1951 w. H. STORRS 2,557,322

' DEVICE FOR PRESE'ITING OPEN AND CLOSED POSITIONS OF THE I HALVES OF COOPERATIVE 'rwomm BLANK AND BLOW MOLDS 0F GLASSWARE FORMING MACHINES 4 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 Filed Sept. 15, 1948 F/GZ/ 3.;

INVENTOR WILLIAM h. STORES AT TORNEYS June 19, 1951 w, STQRRS 2,557,322

DEVICE FOR PRESETTING OPEN AND CLOSED POSITIONS OF THE HALVES OF COOPERATIVE TWO-PART BLANK AND BLOW MOLDS OF GLASSWARE FORMING MACHINES Filed Sept. 15, 1-948 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 INVENTOR WILLIAM H STORRS ATTORNEYS Patented June 19, 1951 UNITED S'lA'i" are a OFFHQE William H. Storrs, West Hartford, Conn., as-

signor to Emhart Manufacturing Company, a

corporation of Delaware Application September 15, 1948, Serial No. 49,366

4 Claims. 1

This invention relates to improvements in devices for pre-setting open and closed positions of the halves of cooperative two-part blank and blow molds of a glassware forming machine of a type in which such cooperative molds are located in horizontally spaced relatively fixed positions and are opened and closed by horizontal swinging movements of their halves. A forming machine of this type is the Hartford-Empire I. S. machine, an example of which is disclosed in U. S. Patent No.1,911,119 of May 23, 1933.

An object of the invention is to provide a device of the above character which can be used conveniently to pre-set accurately and quickly the operating connections of operating mechanisms for pivotal halves of cooperative blank and blow molds of such a glassware forming machine so that such molds, when installed and operated by such mechanisms, will be opened from and closed on the same horizontal center line.

Another object of the invention is to provide a device of the character described by which backlash or play in the connections of the operating mechanisms for the molds can be elimi nated during operative use of the device.

A further object of the invention is to provide a device of the character described which is suitable for use by a manufacturer of forming machines of the type referred to to pre-set the open and closed positions of the cooperative halves of the blank and blow molds of each such machine during the assembly of the parts thereof or by a user of such a forming machine to re-set or again pre-set such positions of the mold halves when required by unequal wear of their contact faces or operating parts or other cause.

A still further object of the invention is to provide a device of the character described which is relatively simple in construction and operation and which, therefore, can be used satisfactorily for the purpose intended by a workman who need not be highly skilled in such work.

Other objects and advantages of the invention hereinafter will be pointed out or will become apparent from the following description of an illustrative device embodying the invention and its use, reference being had to the accompanying drawings, in which Fig. 1 is a plan view of the illustrative device alone, showing closed and opened positions of pivoted cooperative dummy blank and blow mold parts thereof;

Fig. 2 is a side elevation of the device operatively applied to the upstanding blank and blow mold hinge posts and resting upon a supporting plate portion of a glassware forming machine of the type above mentioned, the supporting plate portion being shown in section and one end portion of the device also being shown in section, the latter section being along the line 22 of Fig. 1;

Fig. 3 is a plan view of the device in applied position at a stage in the use thereof when the operating shafts for the parts of the blank and blow molds of the machine have been operatively connected to the dummy mold parts of the device;

Fig. 4 is a plan View of a portion of the forming machine having the mold hinge posts shown in Figs. 2 and 3, the View showing details of the operating mechanisms for opening and closing the cooperative molds of such machine; and

Fig. 5 is a plan view showing the blank and blow molds of the forming machine operatively connected to their operating mechanisms so that their opening and closing movements will be between positions which have been pre-set by use of the device.

In a forming machine of that type referred to, the cooperative blank and blow molds are required to close on the same horizontal center line and to open adequately to permit satisfactory transfer of glass parisons from the blank mold to the blow mold by the transfer mechanism of the machine. The transfer mechanism includes parts located between the cooperative blank and blow molds and the upstanding hinge post of one of such molds also is located between them. The respective molds are provided with separate operating mechanisms, each including an air motor and suitable levers and links for operatively connecting such motor with horizontally swingable halves of the mold. Because of these and other structural and operating conditions, the task of mounting the cooperative molds on their hinge posts and operatively connecting them with their respective operating mechanisms to relate their respective open and closed positions and operations to each other has been, prior to the present invention, more or less haphazard or uncertain as to result, even when attempted by highly skilled workmen, so that considerable work on a trial and error basis often was required before an adequately satisfactory result was obtained. The present invention provides a device by which pre-setting of the connections of the operating mechanisms of the molds is made simple and. easy.

The pre-setting device of the invention in the form now preferred by me comprises a rigid base I, Figs. 1, 2 and 3, of generally plate-like form and of substantially greater length than width. The base I may be cast 01' formed in any other suitable known manner of iron or other suitable metal or material so as to have the requisite rigidity and strength and still be light enough in weight to be handled readily when its overall.

length and width are sufficient for the purpose intended. It may be formed with strengthening ribs 2, Figs. 1 and 3, extending longitudinally thereof near its marginal side edges. As hereinafter will become apparent, the base may vary widely in configuration, relative dimensions of different portions thereof, etc., from the example shown in the drawings.

The base I is provided in one end portion thereof, designated Ia, with a vertical opening 3, Fig. 2, to accommodate an upstanding blank mold hinge post 4, Figs. 2 and 3. The opposite end portion of the base I, designated lb, is provided with a 'vertical opening for a similar blow mold hinge post 6. These hinge posts are provided on a supporting plate I of a forming machine of the type here involved. The openings 3 and 5 in the base I are spaced appropriately apart so that the blank and blow mold hinge posts 4 and 6, respectively, will extend upwardly therethrough and project above the base as shown in Fig. 2 when the base has been lowered onto the supporting plate 'I.

The supporting plate T may constitute the top of a frame or casing (not shown) of the forming machine, as in the example shown in U. S. Patent No. 1,911,119. A lower horizontal supporting plate, indicated at 3 in Fig. l, may be the base or bottom member of that frame or casing portion of the forming machine. The plate 8 carries operating mechanisms, generally indicated at 9 and I 0, respectively, in Fig. 4, for rocking a pair of transversely spaced upright blank mold operating shafts II and a pair of transversely spaced upright blow mold operating shafts I2, respectively. The shafts II project from the lower supporting surface '8 upwardly through the upper supporting plate I at opposite sides of the end portion Ia of the base I and equi-distant from the blank mold hinge post 4 and substantially in transverse alignment therewith when the base I has been placed on the plate I. See Fig. 3. The operating shafts I2 then project upwardly through the plate I at opposite sides of the portion lb of the base I of the device and equidistant from the blow mold hinge post 5. The specific means for rocking these pairs of mold operating shafts will hereinafter be described.

In the forming machine, halves !3 of the blank mold assembly I4 are pivotally mounted on the hinge post 4 so as to open at the side thereof next to the blow mold hinge post 6. See Fig. 5. The halves I5 of the blow mold assembly I6, which are mounted pivotally on the post 6, are at the opposite side of the latter from the blank mold assembly. The opening 3 in the base I to accommodate the hinge post 4 therefore may be provided in the base I near the adjacent end of the latter. The opening 5 then is located in the base at least as far from the opposite end thereof as a radius of a circle described by the free ends of the pivoted halves of the blow mold assembly IS in swinging about the axis of the blow mold hinge post 6 and, of course, the straight line distance between the centers of the openings 3 and 5 should correspond to that between the axes of the hinge posts 4 and E5.

The device includes a pair of cooperative dummy blank mold assembly halves IT having attaching portions I'Ia pivotally mounted. o a

tubular vertical hinge pin I8 which is adapted to fit on the upwardly projecting hinge post 4. The device also may include a pair of cooperative dummy blow mold assembly halves I9 having attaching portions I9a pivotally mounted on a tubular hinge pin 23 which is adapted to fit on the hinge post 6. The dummy blank mold halves I! are formed at their inner lateral sides with vertical meeting faces ZI, adapted to contact fiatwise with each other at a plane extending radially from the axis of the hinge post 4 when these dummy blank mold halves are closed, as shown in full lines in Fig. l and in Fig. 3. The contact surfaces 2| of the dummy blank mold parts thus correspond to the meeting faces of the halves I3 of the actual blank mold assembly I4, Fig. 5. Similarly, the dummy blow mold parts I90. have meeting vertical faces 22 corresponding to the meeting faces of the halves I5 of the actual blow mold assembly I6.

The dummy blank mold parts E? are provided with outer lateral attaching portions 23 corresponding to the lateral attaching portions 24 of the halves I3 of the blank mold assembly I4, Fig. 5. Links 25 are pivotally connected at one end by vertical pivot pins 26 with the attaching portions 23 of the dummy blank mold parts. These links and their pivotal connections with the outer lateral portions of the dummy blank mold parts correspond exactly to actual links, indicated at 2? in Fig. 5, and the pivotal connections of the latter, indicated at 28, with the lateral attaching portions 24 of the halves of the actual blank mold assembly. The outer or free ends of the links 25 have vertical openings 29 formed therein and headed pins 35], Fig. 3, are provided to detachably and pivotally connect the thus apertured outer ends of these links with similarly apertured outer end portions 3i of cranks 32 on the upper ends of the operating shafts II during use of the pro-setting device in a manner presently to be described. Similarly, the device includes links 33 pivotally connected at one end by pivot pins 34 to lateral attaching portions 35 of the dummy blow mold parts I9. The free ends of these links 33 are apertured for detachable, pivotal connection by headed pins 39', Figs. 2 and 3, with apertured outer ends of cranks 32' on the upstanding blow mold operating shafts I 2. The links 33 correspond to pivoted links 36 which are connected to lateral attaching portions 31 of the halves I5 of the actual blow mold assembly, Fig. 5.

The dummy blank mold halves I? are supported at a suitable level above the fixed supporting plate I to be operatively connected with the cranks 32 by the links 25 and pins 36 during use of the pre-setting device. While the base I might be suitably formed in the portion surrounding the hinge post 4 to support the dummy blank mold assembly on such post at the level desired, I prefer to use separately formed bushing means of hardened steel or the like in conjunction with the wall of the opening 3 for this purpose. These can be accurately machined and may be more wear-resistant than the material of the base. In the example shown, the opening 3 in the end portion Ia of the base of the device is sufficiently larger than the hinge post 4 to accommodate a suitable bushing assembly which accurately fits the post 4. As shown in Fig. 2, the opening 3 is lined by a liner bushing 38 inserted from beneath to fit tightly therein and having a flange 38a underlying the base I immediately surrounding the lower end of the opening 3. The lower surface, indicated at 39, of this bushing, has been machined or otherwise finished so as to be truly smooth and level so as to rest firmly and evenly on the supporting plate internally, the bushing 38 is of suitable diameter and configuration to receive a removable inner slip bushing 48 which may be dropped over the hinge post 4 into the bushing 38 until a flange ll at the upper end of the bushing so rests upon the upper end of the bushing This flange 4! may be knurled or roughened at its circumference as indicated at :12 for convenience in gripping it for insertion or removal. The bushing 49 fits snugly around the hinge post t and is of Sllfficient height to position the pivoted dummy blank mold parts ii at a suitable level in relation to that of the cranks 32 when the dummy blank mold assembly is lowered over the upper end of the hinge post 5 until the tubular hinge pin 15 of the dummy blank mold assembly rests on the top of the bushing 45, as shown in Fig. 2. The hinge pin 53 is suitable for this purpose and, like the bushings 38 and it, may be made of hardened steel or other suitable material. Similarly, the opening 5 in the end portion lb of the base of the device is sufficiently larger than the hinge post 6 to accommodate an outer bushing 43, like the bushing 38, and an inner removable slip bushing M surrounding the hinge post 5 and having a circumferentially knurled or roughened flange atits upper end and on which the hinger pin 28 and adjacent parts of the pivot dummy blow mold assembly may rest.

The dummy blank mold parts ii are provided at their free ends adjacent to their meeting surfaces 2! with generally radial index marks 46 in position to be aligned exactly with index marks ll on a transversely extending portion 8 of the base i of the device when the dummy blank mold parts are closed as shown in full lines in Fig. l and in Fig. 3. These index marks will register exactly with also generally radial index marks is on the portion 43 of the base adjacent to the opposite side edges of the latter when the dummy blank mold parts I! have been opened to the positions shown in dotted lines Fig. l. The latter positions correspond to the open positions of the halves of the actual blank mold assembly.

Similarly, index marks on the free end portions of the dummy blow mold parts 19 will register with index ti on a transversely extending portion 52 of the base when the dummy blow mold parts are closed about their pivotal axes and these marks 5i] will register with index marks on the portion 52 of the base adjacent to the opposite side edges of such base when the dummy blow mold parts are in open positions corresponding to the open positions of the halves of the actual blow mold assembly.

The portions and 52 of the base of the device be higher than the remainder of the so that their upper surfaces are level with the supporting top surfaces of the bush ings ti t on which the dummy mold assemblies rest. The free end portions of the dummy blank and blow mold parts. respectively, thus may have sliding support on the base portions 43 and 52 as the parts of such pivoted dummy mold assemblies are swung between their open and closed positions.

A vertical opening, indicated at 54 in Figs. 1

to 3, between the closed dummy blank mold parts is formed half in one of these parts and half in the other as is clear from Figs. 1 and 3. A similar vertical opening between the closed dummy blow mold parts is indicated at 55. Pins 55 are adapted to drop through these openings into registering, preferably hushed, openings, indicated at 5?, in the portion 38 of the base beneath the opening 54 and at 58 in the portion 52 of the base beneath the opening 55 when the closed positions of the parts of these dummy mold assemblies are as desired. Each of the pins 55 may have a relatively enlarged knurled upper portion 56a.

The cranks 32 may have split collar portions 32a on the operating shafts ll provided with tightening screws 59. Similarly, the cranks 32 may have split collar portions 32a which may be made fast to the operating shafts [2 by tightening the screws to. The outer end portions of the cranks 32 may be partially split as indicated at 6% at the pin accommodating openings therein and provided with tightening screws 62. This, however, is not essential when the pivot pins as are headed as shown and are inserted from above. The cranks 32' similarly may have their outer end portions partially slitted, as indicated at 63, and be provided with tightening screws designated 65.

The operating mechanism 9 for rocking the operating shafts H about their respective axes to open and close the dummy or actual blank mold parts, whenever either assembly is operatively connected therewith, comprises an air motor 65 having a piston rod to operatively connected by a link 6? with an arm 68 of a threearmed rocker lever 69, mounted to turn about the axis of an upright shaft it below the level of the hinge post 4. The other two arms, ii and 12, respectively, of the lever 69 are connected by links 13 and 14 with cranks l5 and 15 on the lower portions of the upright operating shafts i I. The construction of the operating mechanism It for rocking the upright shafts [2 about their respective axes is similar and therefore need not be specifically described, the same reference numerals primed being used to designate parts of the mechanism I0 corresponding to above described parts of the operating mechanism 9.

The device may be used as follows to re-set the operating mechanisms to assure proper open and closed positions of the blank and blow molds of a machine of the type described. The base I is placed on the supporting plate 1 of the machine as shown in Figs. 2 and 3 and the supporting slip bushing and the assemblies of dummy blank and blow mold parts are then dropped over the machine hinge posts 4 and 5 substantially as hereinbefore described. The air motor of one of the operating mechanisms 9 or I 0, as the former, is then operated to move its piston to the end of its stroke by which the blank mold parts will be opened when they subsequently have been installed and connected to the cranks 32. At this time the cranks 32 are loose on their shafts and are not turned with the latter. Operation of the air motor 65 is then stopped, leaving the piston rod 55 at the end of its stroke as just described and possibly leaving slight play or backlash in the levers and links connecting the piston rod 66 with the shafts ii. The dummy blank mold parts are then operatively connected with the cranks 32 by the links 25 and pivot pins 3%]. During or preliminary to this act, the tightening screws 59 are tightened sufficiently to impart a sufficient torque to the shafts H to take up any play or backlash in the levers and links connecting the shafts H with their piston rod 65 when the dummy blank mold parts ll are opened manually until the index marks 45 are aligned exactly with the index marks 49, as now is done, but not sufficiently to prevent any required turning of the cranks 32 on their shafts under manual pressure after such play or backlash has been taken up to complete the outward movements of the dummy blank mold parts to align the index marks 46 with the index marks 49. When such alignment has been effected, the tightening screws 59 are fully tightened to fix the angular positions of the cranks 32 on the shafts II. Power then is turned on to the air motor 65 to effect a return or mold closing stroke of its piston rod and this will close the dummy blank mold parts under air pressure at positions such that the index marks 46 are exactly aligned with the index marks 41, as shown, for example, in Fig. 3. To check the accuracy of the positioning of the dummy blank mold parts in their closed positions, the gauge pin 56 may be dropped into the opening 54 and its drop should continue until it enters the underneath opening 51 which should be in register with the opening 54. If this does not occur, the operating pressure applied to the air motor 55 should be cut off as in some instances this pressure, which is relatively great, may be holding the hinge posts 4 flexed slightly but sufliciently to prevent the required register of the openings 54 and 51. If the pin 56 then drops in place, the dummy mold parts are in proper closed positions. The cranks 32 then may be keyed to the shafts, as by the keys ll, Fig. 3. If the pin does not drop in place or the closed positions of the dummy blank mold parts are otherwise determined to be improper, the reason for the improper positioning of parts must be ascertained and eliminated. The parts involved ordinarily will be properly positioned if the procedure above described is followed, and such parts have been provided in accordance with applicable specifications but, in rare instances, some adjacent part may be bent or displaced so as to interfere with and prevent proper movement of some element of the operating mechanism of the dummy mold assembly.

The procedure to pre-set the cranks 32 on the shafts [2 for opening and closing movements of the dummy blow mold parts 19 to proper open and closed positions is the same as just described for the dummy blank mold assembly and I will be understood without specific description thereof. The dummy blow mold parts are shown in Fig. 3 at the stage in this operation when they have been moved manually to their open positions. After their proper angular positions on the shafts [2 have been determined, cranks 32 may be made fast thereto by their tightening screws 60 and by keys 18, Fig. 5, also, if desired.

The pre-setting operations just described may be carried on before such forming machine parts as are to be mounted on the plate I and would interfere with these operations have been placed on such plate or, after removal of such interfering parts if they have already been installed. The base I of the device may be formed to be open, as at 19, throughout a substantial part of its area, both for lightness and to clear some machine parts on the plate 1, such, for example, as the bracket 80 and the vertical rack bar BI carried thereby as shown in Fig. 5. After the cranks 32 and 32 have been made fast to their shafts H and I2, respectively in angular positions which have been determined to be proper in the manner described, the pins 30 and 36 connecting these cranks with the links 25 and 33 of the dummy mold parts of the device are removed and the pre-setting device is removed from the plate 1, either as a unit or by removal of its separable parts seriatim. Subsequently, when the actual blank and blow mold assemblies are installed, the pivoted parts thereof are operatively connected with these cranks by the links 21 and 3'6, Fig. 5, and thereafter will be opened and closed by their respective operating mechanisms to properly related positions. Thereafter, should proper alignment of the closed positions of these molds be disturbed by unequal wear on the meeting faces of the parts of one or both of them or other cause, such alignment may be restored by use of the pre-setting device substantially as herein described.

The illustrative pie-setting device is shown in the drawings and it and an example use thereof have been described in the foregoing specification as including separate sets of dummy mold assemblies, positioning bushings, links, connecting pins, etc., for the blank mold and blow mold operating mechanisms, respectively. Where, as may be the case and as indeed is indicated by the showing and description here, these two mold operating mechanisms are alike in their components, then, for lower cost, less shipping or handling weight or other reason, the device may be supplied with but one such set of separable parts which then may be used as herein described to pre-set the two mold operating mechanisms sequentially, either being pre-set first. References in the foregoing specification and in appended claims to dummy blank and dummy blow mold assemblies and their use are to be understood as covering also a single dummy mold assembly and its use to pre-set the operating mechanisms of both blank and blow mold where such operating mechanisms are alike and if desired.

Many changes in and modifications of the illustrative device shown in the drawings will now be obvious to or readily occur to those skilled in the art and I, therefore, do not wish to be limited to the details thereof.

I claim: I

1. A pre-setting device for cooperative openable and closable two-part blank and blow molds of a glassware forming machine of a type in which such molds respectively are mounted on separate horizontally spaced upright hinge posts and are opened and closed by separate operating mechanisms, each such operating mechanism comprising a pair of upright rock shafts respectively located equi-distant from and at opposite sides of the associate hinge post and of a hori zontal center line intersecting the axes of the two hinge posts, the upright rock shafts of each pair carrying cranks operatively connected by links with the adjacent mold parts and being rocked back and forth about their individual axes in unison by driven connections with an air motor to open and close the connected mold parts, the cranks being initially loose on their rock shafts and being adapted to be fixed to said shafts to establish operative connections between the shafts and the associate mold parts, said pro-setting device comprising a rigid base plate light enough in weight to be readily handled and having apertured opposite end portions respectively adapted blank and blow mold hinge posts over said base plate for opening and closing movements about the axes of said hinge posts relative to the horizontal center line intersecting the axes of the hinge posts, means comprising cooperative index elements on the dummy mold parts and the base plate, respectively, to indicate when the parts of said dummy molds have been opened from said horizontal center line to predetermined open positions, pivoted links on the parts of said dummy molds corresponding in position and function with the links for connecting the parts of the actual molds with the cranks on the rock shafts, means detachably and pivotally connecting the individual links on the dummy mold parts with the cranks on the adjacent rock shafts when said cranks are loose thereon, and means to fix the cranks to their rock shafts when said shafts are at the limits of their mold opening rocking movements and the connected dummy mold parts are at their said open positions.

2. A device as defined by claim 1 wherein said base plate is provided with additional index elements cooperative with the index elements on the dummy mold parts to indicate when the parts 10 of the dummy molds are closed on said horizontal center line. v

3. A device as defined by claim 1 wherein the parts of each of said .dummy molds are formed to provide vertical gauge openings between said parts when they are closed and said base plate is provided with cooperative gauge openings in positions respectively to register with the gauge openings of the dummy molds when the dummy molds are closed precisely on said horizontal center line, and gauge pins of a size to drop through the vertical gauge openings of the closed dummy molds into the underneath gauge openings in the base plate only when the former are in register with the latter.

l. A device as defined by claim 1 wherein said base plate is formed with an opening therein intermediate its said end portions to clear upwardly projecting structure of the forming machine between said hinge posts when said base plate is in applied position on said machine with its apertured end portions fitting over said hinge posts.

WILLIAM H. STORRS.

REFERENCES CITED UNITED STATES PATENTS Name Date Ingle May 23, 1933 Number 

